When We Were Young

Boys are stupid.

"Girl's night?" I repeated.

Skylar and Rachel glanced at each other and just smiled mischievously. Skylar was tucked underneath my arm and we were sitting in her apartment after just getting back from Saturday brunch. They were breaking the news to me that I wasn't going to see Skylar that night.

"You've held my best friend captive for the last few weeks," Rachel complained with jest. "I want to go dancing."

"I don't think captive is the word I'd use," I argued. "And it's not like you haven't seen her or gone out."

Skylar laughed.

"I know, I know. But dancing," Rachel said. "That's our thing. Besides, even when we go out you end up there at the end of the night anyway."

"Blame her," I said and pulled Skylar closer to me. "He's right. I usually call him to meet us out."

"I mean unless you really don't like me..."

Rachel cut me off by throwing a small pillow at my face. "Don't be silly. You know I adore you."

"It's totally cool. I'm just teasing," I said with my arms in the air in defense. "Go have fun. Go...dance and do whatever it is girls do. I'll see what Nate is up to."

"Really, you're okay with it?" Skylar lifted her head and looked at me with serious eyes.

"Of course I am," I replied, my brows pulled together. "Why wouldn't I be? You don't have to check with me anyway." Of course, she didn't have to check with me. But of course, her going out without me made me uneasy. It's not like I didn't trust Skylar, and it wasn't like we discussed whether or not we could see other people. The subject was always on my mind but I never knew how to bring it up. I wasn't planning on seeing anyone else. It had been less than a month since we started to date.

"Unless you plan on hitting on some young men," I laughed.

"Is 21 too young?" She crinkled her nose.

"Maybe a little," I smirked. "24 is much better," I replied and brushed my lips against hers.

"Yeah, maybe you can find me a nice younger man, too," Rachel yelled back as she headed down the hallway.

"What about Nate?" I yelled.

"I don't like repeats."

"You're sure?" Skylar was looking up at me, her eyes searching my face.

I pulled her onto my lap and cup her face with my hands. She smiled shyly and I brushed her hair over her shoulder. "I would never tell you that you couldn't do something, Skylar."

***

"You still haven't fucked her?" Nate practically screamed.

I covered my face. "Seriously?"

He just laughed and shook his head, taking a large gulp of his beer. We sat in a bar munching on bad bar food, catching the end of the Mets game. I just received a text from Skylar that she was on her way to meet Rachel and a few other girls for dinner and would try not to check her phone all night. I told her to have fun. I wanted to tell her to be careful but I deleted the words once I typed them.

"It's not a big deal. It hasn't even been a month. Besides, she's not my girlfriend." I inwardly groaned. I wanted her to be my girlfriend but I was nervous she wouldn't want that. I could tell my age was something that lingered in the air as a potential problem for her.

"Well, that's the point. You should bang her because she's not your girlfriend," Nate slapped my shoulder and just laughed. "We need to get you laid tonight."